Look Who's Podcasting!

Did you know that NASA offers both audio and video podcasts for you and your students? They call them NASACASTS!

And now they are offering Do-It-Yourself Podcasts for students K-20! They "provide a set of audio and video clips along with photos and information about a space-related topic. You and your students may choose as many items as you want to include in your project and download them to your computer. Students may use the information we provide or conduct their own research to write a script for an audio or video production.

"Using a camcorder, digital audio recorder or computer, you and your students can record your narration and any other scenes or interviews that you want to include. Mix and mash your recording with the NASA clips you download, and edit your production."

Here's a video clip for grades 3-5. What happens if astronauts get sick?

Here's what they say about "digital kids:" "Today’s digital environments give students the tools to actively create and share content, not just passively consume it. Researchers say students who create and evaluate media are deriving a sense of competence, autonomy, self-determination and connectedness. A Pew Internet & American Life Project study finds the majority of American youth using the Internet are involved in some kind of content-creating activity, such as blogging, making profiles, sharing photos and videos, creating Web sites and remixing content. NASA Education’s DIY Podcast activity is designed to actively engage students in science, technology, engineering and math."

You and your students are encouraged to share anything produced on blogs, wikis, social networks, emails, webpages....!! There are a lot of possibilities here for any grade level or subject area--reading, writing, speaking, research techniques, information skills, science, social_studies, math, art, music, and technology skills. Collaboration, cooperation, publishing, and more!

They also have a teacher tips blog just for you! Check out their search engine to help you find teaching materials. Great stuff!